Comparison_of_Microsoft_Windows_versions

Comparison of Microsoft Windows versions

Comparison of Microsoft Windows versions

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Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of computer software operating systems created by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

All versions of Microsoft Windows are commercial proprietary software.

General information

Basic general information about Windows.

DOS shells

More information Name, Release date ...
* Has partial 32-bit compatibility with Win32s

Windows 9x

More information Name, Release date ...

Windows NT

More information Name, Release date ...
^N has also an N-edition
^K has also an N-edition
^KN has also an N-edition
^x64 has a separate x64-edition
^Core has also a Core-edition
^wHV has also an edition without HyperV
^CwHV has also a Core-edition without HyperV

Windows Embedded Compact

Windows Embedded Compact (Windows CE) is a discontinued variation of Microsoft's Windows operating system for minimalistic computers and embedded systems. Windows CE was a distinctly different kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows. It is supported on Intel x86 and is compatible on MIPS, ARM, and Hitachi SuperH processors.

More information Name, Release date ...

Windows IoT

The Windows IoT family is the successor to the now-discontinued Windows Embedded family.

More information Name, Release date ...

Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile is Microsoft's discontinued line of operating systems for smartphones.

More information Name, Release date ...

Windows Phone

Windows Phone is Microsoft's discontinued line of operating systems for smartphones.

More information Name, Release date ...

Technical information

DOS shells

More information Name, Architecture ...

Windows 9x

More information Name, Kernel ...

It is possible to install the MS-DOS variants 7.0 and 7.1 without the graphics user interface of Windows. If an independent installation of both, DOS and Windows is desired, DOS ought to be installed prior to Windows, at the start of a small partition. The system must be transferred by the (dangerous) "SYSTEM" DOS-command, while the other files constituting DOS can simply be copied (the files located in the DOS-root and the entire COMMAND directory). Such a stand-alone installation of MS-DOS 8 is not possible, as it is designed to work as real mode for Windows Me and nothing else.

Windows NT

The Windows NT kernel powers all recent Windows operating systems. It has run on IA-32, x64, DEC Alpha, MIPS architecture, PowerPC, Itanium, ARMv7, and ARM64 processors, but currently supported versions run on IA-32, x64, ARMv7, and ARM64.

More information Name, Architecture ...

Windows Phone

More information Name, Architecture ...

Supported file systems

Various versions of Windows support various file systems, including:FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, HPFS, or NTFS, along with network file systems shared from other computers, and the ISO 9660 and UDF file systems used for CDs, DVDs, and other optical disc drives such as Blu-ray. Each file system is usually limited in application to certain media, for example CDs must use ISO 9660 or UDF, and as of Windows Vista, NTFS is the only file system which the operating system can be installed on. Windows Embedded CE 6.0, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, and Windows Server 2008 onwards support exFAT, a file system more suitable for USB flash drives.

Windows 9x

More information FAT12, FAT16 ...

Windows NT

More information FAT12, FAT16 ...

Windows Phone

More information FAT12, FAT16 ...

Hardware requirements

Installing Windows requires an internal or external optical drive, or a USB flash drive. A keyboard and mouse are the recommended input devices, though some versions support a touchscreen. For operating systems prior to Vista, an optical drive must be capable of reading CD media, while in Windows Vista onwards, such a drive must be DVD-compatible. The drive may be detached after installing Windows.

Windows 9x

More information CPU, RAM ...

Windows NT

More information Version, CPU ...

Windows Phone

More information Version, CPU ...

Physical memory limits

Maximum limits on physical memory (RAM) that Windows can address vary depending on both the Windows version and between IA-32 and x64 versions.[26][27]

Windows

More information Operating system, Limit on Real Mode ...

Windows NT

More information Operating system, Limit on IA-32 ...

Security features

More information Resource access control, Subsystem isolation mechanisms ...

Features

More information Version, Shell ...

Timeline

Timeline of Windows versions
Windows 1.0Windows 2.0Windows 2.1xWindows 3.0Windows 3.1xWindows 3.1xWindows NT 3.1Windows NT 3.5Windows NT 3.51Windows 95Windows NT 4.0Windows 98Windows NT 4.0Windows 2000Pocket PC 2000Windows MePocket PC 2002Windows XPWindows XPWindows Server 2003Windows Mobile 2003Windows Mobile 5.0Windows Embedded IndustryWindows Server 2003 R2Windows Mobile 6.0Windows VistaWindows Home ServerWindows Mobile 6.1Windows Server 2008Windows Embedded IndustryWindows Mobile 6.5Windows 7Windows Server 2008 R2Windows MultiPoint ServerWindows Phone 7Windows Home Server 2011Windows MultiPoint ServerWindows Embedded IndustryWindows Server 2012Windows 8Windows Phone 8Windows MultiPoint ServerWindows Embedded 8 IndustryWindows 8.1Windows Embedded 8.1 IndustryWindows Server 2012 R2Windows Phone 8.1Windows 10 (original release)Windows 10 (original release)Windows IoTWindows 10, version 1511Windows 10 Mobile version historyWindows 10, version 1607Windows 10 Mobile version historyWindows 10, version 1607Windows IoTWindows Server 2016Windows 10, version 1703Windows 10 Mobile version historyWindows 10, version 1709Windows 10 Mobile version historyWindows 10, version 1803Windows 10, version 1809Windows 10, version 1809Windows IoTWindows Server 2019Windows IoTWindows 10, version 1903Windows 10, version 1909Windows 10, version 2004Windows 10, version 20H2Windows 10, version 21H1Windows Server 2022Windows IoTWindows 11, version 21H2Windows 10, version 21H2Windows 10, version 21H2Windows IoTWindows 11, version 22H2Windows 10, version 22H2Windows 11, version 23H2

See also

Other lists

Windows clones and emulators

  • Freedows OS–Windows clone
  • ReactOS–project to develop an operating system that is binary compatible with application software and device drivers for Microsoft Windows NT version 5.x
  • Wine (software)–compatibility layer which allows to execute programs that were originally written for Microsoft Windows

References

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  2. "Windows NT 3.5 for PowerPC". 9 November 1994. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021.
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  4. "Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB 2016 - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. "Windows 10 IoT Core LTSC - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. "Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2019 - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  7. "Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  8. "Windows Server IoT 2019 - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  9. "Windows Server IoT 2019 for Storage - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  10. "Windows Server IoT 2022 - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  11. "Windows 11 IoT Enterprise (Version 21H2) - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  12. "Windows 11 IoT Enterprise - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  13. "Windows 11 IoT Enterprise - Microsoft Lifecycle". Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  14. "Availability of Universal Serial Bus Support in Windows 95". Microsoft Support. Archived from the original on December 10, 2005.
  15. "How to Enable Direct Memory Access (DMA)". Microsoft Support. Archived from the original on June 27, 2006.
  16. "Updated USB 2.0 Drivers Are Available in Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4)". Microsoft Support. Archived from the original on October 29, 2006. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  17. Jones, Don (August 5, 2002). "USB 2.0 Support in Windows XP:High Speed at Last". Microsoft. Archived from the original on December 31, 2004. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  18. "USB 2.0 and Windows Operating Systems". Windows Hardware Development. May 11, 2007. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  19. "Release Notes for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Setup". Microsoft. Archived from the original on February 10, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  20. "Windows Vista Starter Fact Sheet". Microsoft. January 2007. Archived from the original on March 7, 2007.
  21. "System Requirements". docs.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  22. "Hardware requirements for Windows Server". docs.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  23. "What is the maximum amount of RAM the Windows operating system can handle?". Crucial. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  24. "Memory Limits for Windows and Windows Server Releases". Microsoft. Archived from the original on May 5, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2012.

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